Our next section in the Song of Songs, 2:8–3:5, describes the woman’s rendition of her lover’s visit to her home — either in reality or in her mind — and then her nocturnal search and finding of her lover.
Here are the first two verses:
2:8 The voice of my beloved!
Look, he comes,
leaping upon the mountains,
bounding over the hills.
9 My beloved is like a gazelle
or a young stag.
Look, there he stands
behind our wall,
gazing in at the windows,
looking through the lattice.
The theme is imaginative embrace or remembered embrace — and I’m not sure which one. Many seem to think it is real (hence remembered embrace) but if 3:1-5 is connected, it could be an imaginary embrace. On either account, the woman has the capacity to make her lover appear and disappear.
Suddenly, she breaks in and describes his increasing presence: “The voice of my beloved!” His voice evokes her love.
Not only his voice, but his body — compared here with a gazelle’s. This refers either to his athletic ability and agility and the speed of his arrival, or to his muscular sexuality.
And then his presence. He’s now there — behind our wall — gazing in at the windows, hoping to see her. I see no reason to suggest a peeping Tom; he’s arrived; he’s looking for her. Looking “through the lattice” to me evokes his straining to see if she’s there and available.